NEWS FROM THE 15th DISTRICT

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your families are doing well. It has been a busy couple of weeks and I wanted to provide you with a brief update about what I have been working on to serve the people of the 15th Congressional District of Texas. Together, we will continue to seize opportunities and overcome the challenges our communities face.   
 
Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Help Small Businesses 

On September 7, I along with my colleague, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), introduced H.R. 5189, the Member Business Loan Expansion Act. 

This bipartisan piece of legislation seeks to update the Credit Union Member Business Loan Authority to keep pace with inflation and increase access to loans for small businesses. 
As a small business owner myself, I understand the importance of offering our business owners resources to keep their doors open and their staff paid. 

 
Read the full release here.

My Letter to Secretary Blinken Demanding Information on America’s Strategy to Safely Evacuate the Remaining American’s and Allies from Afghanistan 

On September 8, I sent a letter to Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, demanding answers on what is being done to ensure that Americans and our Afghan allies will be able to evacuate Afghanistan safely. 

Although our military operations in Afghanistan ended on August 31st, our efforts to evacuate remaining citizens and allies did not. We deserve accountability and transparency in this process. We must not leave anyone behind. 

Read the full letter here. 

My letter to EPA Administrator, Michael Regan 

On September 8, I sent a letter with three Congressional colleagues from Texas to the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Michael Regan, urging him to consider the impacts of methane regulations on Texas jobs, economy, and industry. 

While curbing methane emissions is important, we must do so in a way that does not harm the livelihoods and economy of our communities. We have the resources and responsibility to use cost-effective cutting-edge technology to reduces emissions while still protecting good-paying jobs. 

Read the full letter here. 

Presented Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) with $146 Million from the American Rescue Plan 

On September 8, I presented the Edinburg CISD school board with $146,261,000 in American Rescue Plan funding. 

This funding will go directly to our schools to support our teachers and students as they return to the classroom and overcome challenges associated with COVID-19 such as learning loss, remote learning, and increased safety precautions in the classroom. 

Thank you Edinburg CISD for having me! I am honored to stand with you as we work to provide the best education for our children while ensuring their utmost safety by mandating masks in the classroom. 

Awarding $5 million for UTRGV from the National Science Foundation 

On September 14, I announced a grant of $5,000,000 for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) awarded by the National Science Foundation. This funding will go towards the establishment of the Center for Multidisciplinary Research Excellence in Cyber-Physical Infrastructure Systems (CIS) at UTRGV. 

I am proud to support the center’s development which will aid in the evolution of an underrepresented workforce by equipping our students with the skills to address cyber field. 

Read the full release here. 

How the Child Tax Credit has helped the 15th District of Texas 

When I voted for the American Rescue Plan, and the robust funding it provides our country, I also voted for the expansion of the Child Tax Credit program. 

The third round of payments went out to families this past week. Here’s what that means for our district: In August alone, South Texas families have received $54,200,000 in tax cuts from the Child Tax Credit.  

Our families deserve support to get back on their feet, pay their bills, buy food, pay for child care, or buy school supplies. I am proud to have voted for the expansion of this program for families here in the 15th District of Texas.  

Read the full press release here. 

Meeting with the Outstanding Volunteers and Staff at the RGV Food Bank 

On September 8, I met with the volunteers and staff at the RGV Food Bank distribution event to thank them for all their hard work, learn about what they’ve been doing to support South Texas, and speak about how the American Rescue Plan Act funds have supported their programs. 

Thank you to everyone involved in the efforts to keep the RGV Food Bank running and our community healthy. I will continue supporting robust funding to ensure the critical programs you provide remain available to South Texans. 

Reminders & Updates  
 
 
Rental Assistance Resources  
 
 
The pandemic has hit many individuals and families hard. Resources are available to help those struggling with rental payments and looming eviction notices.  
 
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (956) 682-5545 if you need assistance with any of these resources.    
 
 
     
Get Vaccinated To Protect Against the Delta Variant     
 
South Texas has led the country in vaccinations, but we’re not out of the woods yet. With the spread of the Delta variant, we must be vigilant and do your part to protect our community.     
 
Get vaccinated and help us return to normal.     
 
Find locations to get your COVID-19 vaccine here.     
 
Investing In America’s Communities Program    
 
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is investing the $3,000,000,000 from the American Rescue Plan to fund six collective programs:    

• Build Back Better Regional Challenge 
• Good Jobs Challenge 
• Indigenous Communities 
• Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation    
• Statewide Planning, Research and Networks     

Please Be Advised: Extreme Passport Delays. Apply Early!    
 
Due to the ongoing pandemic, passport processing centers are experiencing delays in the renewal process. The U.S. State Department recommends renewing your passport at least six months before you plan to travel, and urgent day-of appointments are reserved only for life-and-death cases.     
 
The State Department continues to onboard more staff to quickly process the influx of applications, but at the moment routine service can take up to 18 weeks and expedited service can take up to 12 weeks. Don’t wait to renew, apply early!     
 

More information can be found here.     
 
Home Refinancing Options for Low-Income Families       
      
On Sunday, June 6, Fannie Mae made RefiNow available to single-family lenders in connection with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) refinance option for low-income borrowers with Enterprise-backed single-family mortgages.        
 
Among the features offered with the RefiNow option, it: 

• Reduces a borrower’s monthly payment.  
• Provides a $500 appraisal credit to the lender at the time the loan is purchased if an appraisal was obtained for the transaction.     
• Waives the 50 basis point adverse market refinance fee for loans at or below $300,000.     
• Allows a debt-to-income ratio (DTI) up to 65%.    

• Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Reevaluation Request for [insert your 10-digit application number]” 
• Include in the body of the email identifying information for the application including application number, business name, business address, business owner names(s), and phone number. 
• Please also include an explanation and any documentation that addresses the reason for the decline, if available. SBA will contact applicants if additional documentation is required to complete our review.        

Sincerely,

Vicente Gonzalez
Member of Congress